From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (8 articles)
Date: Mon, 20 May 2019 05:45:06 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 344B2088-8657-4DA4-8026-844773A07BC2**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, May 20, 2019 at 5:44:54 AM

A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
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Table of Contents (8 articles)

HAZMAT, FIRE CREWS RESPOND TO CCU FOR LEAKING MEDICAL TANK
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, nitrogen

LIKELY ACCIDENTAL CHEMICAL MIXTURE LEADS TO STEVENS POINT SHELTER EVACUATION // WJFW TV-12, WJFWDT 12.1 AND NEWSWATCH 12
Tags: us_WI, public, release, response, cleaners

ROCKET CRASHES NEAR U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

METHYL ETHYL KETONE PEROXIDE CAUSED BLAST- THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, mek

IN DEPTH: XIANGSHUI CHEMICAL FACTORY‰??S RECIPE FOR DISASTER (PART 1)
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ag_chems

AFTER BEAR REPELLENT INCIDENT, AMAZON PLANS TO STORE SOME HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS AT SPECIALISED WAREHOUSES
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, follow-up, environmental

HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND AFTER 200 GALLONS OF FERTILIZER LEAKS INTO STORM DRAIN IN VOLO
Tags: us_IL, transportation, release, response, ag_chems

FIRE AT CHEMICAL PLANT IN KEARNY PUT NEARBY TOWNS ON ALERT: VIDEO
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, fire, response, chlorine


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HAZMAT, FIRE CREWS RESPOND TO CCU FOR LEAKING MEDICAL TANK
https://www.wmbfnews.com/2019/05/19/hazmat-fire-crews-respond-ccu-leaking-medical-tank/
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, nitrogen

CONWAY, SC (WMBF) ‰?? Emergency crews were called to Coastal Carolina University‰??s campus early Sunday morning.

Horry County Fire Rescue‰??s Hazardous Materials team joined the Conway Fire Department at CCU‰??s science building for a leaking medical nitrogen tank.

After suiting up, the hazmat team was in and out of the building in just a few minutes, according to the Horry County Fire Rescue‰??s Facebook post.

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LIKELY ACCIDENTAL CHEMICAL MIXTURE LEADS TO STEVENS POINT SHELTER EVACUATION // WJFW TV-12, WJFWDT 12.1 AND NEWSWATCH 12
https://www.wjfw.com/storydetails/20190519085711/likely_accidental_chemical_mixture_leads_to_stevens_point_shelter_evacuation
Tags: us_WI, public, release, response, cleaners

STEVENS POINT - Emergency calls for help with "poison gas" brought police, firefighters, and paramedics out to a homeless shelter in Stevens Point early Sunday morning. Crews quickly determined there was no danger.

According to our partners at the Point/Plover Metro Wire, police were called to the Salvation Army Hope Center on Briggs Street -- just west of UW-Stevens Point -- around 6:20 a.m. People at the shelter were already evacuating the building.


Stevens Point Fire Department Lt. Mark Schoeberle said someone accidentally mixed bleach with floor cleaner, which produced a cloud of smoke. Someone diluted the mixture with water before crews arrived, eliminating any hazards.

Firefighters used air quality meters to check the building for any risks.

Emergency crews stayed on scene for about 35 minutes. There were no injuries.

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ROCKET CRASHES NEAR U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/national/530050-rocket-crashes-near-us-embassy-in-baghdad
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

A massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Masat Industrial Estate near here on Sunday night, officials said. The fire is not yet under control, nearly two hours after it started, said Assistant Divisional Fire Officer, Silvassa, A K Vala. He confirmed no casualty had been reported so far.

The fire, which broke out at around 10.00 pm, quickly spread in the factory, causing chemical drums to blast, officials said. "While several fire tenders are working to control it (the fire), we have called for tenders from Daman and Vapi. Fire tenders from nearby Alok Industries and Reliance are also on the spot," said Vala.

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METHYL ETHYL KETONE PEROXIDE CAUSED BLAST- THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2019/may/20/methyl-ethyl-ketone-peroxide-caused-blast-1979241.html
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, mek

BENGALURU: The deadly chemical that caused an explosion at MLA Munirathna‰??s house, claiming the life of 45-year-old Venkatesh, in Vyalikaval on Sunday morning, is suspected to be Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide (MEKP), a highly explosive chemical. Experts told TNIE that MEKP is not only toxic but highly inflammable too. Its ignition temperature at highly concentrated levels is known to be as low as 22.50 Celsius.

The chemical is dangerous for anyone in its vicinity, especially in case of spills, which is what happened when Venkatesh kept the can containing the chemical on the floor. The chemical is also known to have an adverse effect on people‰??s health. It can cause birth defects, fainting and even death. Experts said hobbyists use a 30-60 per cent diluted version of the chemical to cross-link unsaturated polyester resins in fibreglass and casting.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, a senior police officer said, ‰??One of the colourful peacock statues atop an electric pole at the MLA‰??s residence was made using MEKP as it helps bend fibre statues. FSL officials have said the content inside the can had solidified. When Venkatesh tried to open it, it caused the blast. The Vyalikaval police are investigating the case booked under the Explosive Substances Act.‰??

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IN DEPTH: XIANGSHUI CHEMICAL FACTORY‰??S RECIPE FOR DISASTER (PART 1)
https://www.caixinglobal.com/2019-05-20/in-depth-xiangshui-chemical-factorys-recipe-for-disaster-part-1-101417491.html
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ag_chems

Editor‰??s note: A devastating chemical blast in eastern China‰??s Jiangsu province killed dozens of people in March. Weeks later, local communities and businesses are struggling to pick up the pieces while the authorities push to relocate the area‰??s chemical industry.

In the first of this two-part series, we uncover how a deadly mix of safety violations and cost-cutting layoffs pushed one factory toward disaster. As some of the people who spoke with Caixin asked not to be named because they feared repercussions, pseudonyms are used to identify them.

Ironically, the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemicals factory was about to undergo a safety inspection the day an explosion destroyed the fertilizer and pesticide plant.

That morning, Xiangshui County in eastern China‰??s coastal Jiangsu province had gathered managers from the county‰??s major businesses for a safety training session. Zhang Qinyue, general manager of Tianjiayi, was among the attendees.

At roughly the same time, workers at Tianjiayi‰??s factories were informed that an inspection would take place in the afternoon. Several workers told Caixin that the ‰??smellier‰?? workshops, including the hydrogen production workshop, were temporarily shut down in preparation for the inspection. The liquid waste treatment area was also prepared.

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AFTER BEAR REPELLENT INCIDENT, AMAZON PLANS TO STORE SOME HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS AT SPECIALISED WAREHOUSES
https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2019/05/after-bear-repellent-incident-amazon-plans-to-store-some-hazardous-products-at-specialised-warehouses/
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, follow-up, environmental

Following an episode involving discharged bear repellent at an Amazon warehouse late last year that affected dozens of onsite workers, the company plans to store similarly hazardous products in specialised facilities.

Wired reported Friday that Amazon began developing the facilities prior to the December incident, though the event no doubt illustrates why such spaces are needed. A company spokesperson told Gizmodo by email that these warehouses will be outfitted with special sprinkler systems as well as storage areas for different classifications of product, for example flammable and aerosol items.

Of note, however, is that the new warehouses won‰??t replace existing systems at other fulfilment centres, and hazmat items of a lower safety classification will still be fulfilled at Amazon‰??s other facilities, a company spokesperson said. But products of a high internal safety classification‰??meaning those deemed to be a greater risk to employees‰??will be stored at the new facilities, where employees will receive special training for handling such products and other additional safety procedures will be in place. The first of these new warehouses is set to open in Mississippi.

‰??While we currently store controlled goods in fulfilment centres that are outfitted with these specific storage areas across the country, and many of our fulfilment centres have similar features‰??such as fire-rated walls and complex sprinkler systems‰??this facility will have increased training requirements for all employees, different receive and stow restrictions, and a very distinct standard of operational excellence,‰?? an Amazon spokesperson told Gizmodo by email.

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HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND AFTER 200 GALLONS OF FERTILIZER LEAKS INTO STORM DRAIN IN VOLO
https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/2019/05/18/hazmat-crews-respond-after-200-gallons-of-fertilizer-leaks-into-storm-drain-in-volo/
Tags: us_IL, transportation, release, response, ag_chems

Approximately 200 gallons of liquid fertilizer leaked from a truck into a storm drain Saturday morning in Volo, police said.

The Lake County Sheriff‰??s Office and the Fox Lake Fire Protection District along with hazardous material teams responded around 10:10 a.m. to Cornerstone Drive and Remington Drive in Volo for a call of a chemical spill.

Police found a TruGreen Fertilizer truck that had leaked around 200 gallons of liquid fertilizer into a storm drain. Fire crews determined the fertilizer that leaked into the storm drain did not pose an immediate hazard to the surrounding community, the Lake County Sheriff‰??s Office said.

Fire crews dammed the storm drains to try and prevent the fertilizer from flowing further into the drains, officials added.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Lake County Health Department and the Village of Volo were notified. Police said an environmental group was called to the scene for clean-up and decontamination.

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FIRE AT CHEMICAL PLANT IN KEARNY PUT NEARBY TOWNS ON ALERT: VIDEO
https://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/fire-chemical-plant-kearny-put-nearby-towns-alert-video
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, fire, response, chlorine

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ -- A fire at Alden Leeds chlorine plant in Kearny under the Pulaski Skyway on Friday night caused smoke and odors to waft over the area. Multiple news reports stated the fire was under control Saturday morning, although the Pulaski Skyway remained closed to traffic.

On Friday, several nearby towns issued precautionary statements about the blaze, advising residents to stay inside and shut their windows. Some public safety officials still had lingering concerns about air quality near the plant on Saturday, which manufactures chlorine tablets used in swimming pools, ABC 7 reported.

After the fire broke out Friday, Kearny officials told residents to stay indoors with their windows closed. "Inhaling the smoke can cause severe respiratory distress," the Kearny Fire Department stated.

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